Spring Hill man arrested in hit-and-run crash that injured 2 crossing guards
SPRING HILL, Fla. - Hernando County deputies have arrested a man they say was involved in a crash before striking two crossing guards on Wednesday afternoon and leaving the scene.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a tan Ford Focus was traveling south on Deltona Boulevard shortly before 4:30 p.m. at the same time, a red Cadillac CTS was heading west on Chase Street.
The driver of the Cadillac told investigators that he tried to cross Deltona Boulevard but had to stop in the center median because it wasn’t clear to continue directly across after he left the stop sign.
Once in the median, the driver stated that traffic came to a stop in the left lane, and another driver waved him on and though he had no clear view of the outside lane, he went through and collided with the left rear side of the tan Ford Focus, according to FHP.
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Investigators say the collision caused the Ford Focus to spin around and come to a stop facing the wrong direction.
Investigators say the driver who struck the crossing guards was involved in another crash moments beforehand.
According to FHP, the driver of the Ford Focus took off going the wrong way toward the intersection of Northcliffe Boulevard, where two crossing guards, wearing full uniforms including orange protective vests and hats, were standing in the center grass median.
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Troopers say the Ford Focus struck crossing guard Don Jenkins, 82, causing him to land on top the hood and windshield before he rolled off the vehicle, knocking his head on the asphalt, causing him to go unconscious. The driver also hit 52-year-old crossing guard Nicholas Gallicchio, causing him to roll along the side of the vehicle before being knocked to the ground.
"It’s completely unacceptable what happened," said Denise Moloney, a spokesperson for the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. "Driving drunk. Hitting the first gentleman and leaving, and then hitting the two pedestrians who were standing there, and leaving."
Jenkins was taken to an area trauma center in serious condition and Gallicchio was hospitalized with minor injuries. The sheriff’s office said Jenkins has being a crossing guard in Hernando County since 2019. Gallicchio has been a crossing guard in Hernando County since 2022.
After hitting the two crossing guards, troopers say the driver made a sharp left turn and ran over a concrete drainage ditch, which caused significant damage to the undercarriage of the vehicle, and oil began to pour out of the bottom of the vehicle.
An oil trail followed the vehicle to its final resting place at the corner of Deltona Blvd. and Carthage Road, according to FHP.
Crime scene tape covers a vehicle investigators say was involved in a hit-and-run crash that injured two crossing guards.
Hernando County deputies say the suspect, who was later identified as Robert Noack, was found walking nearby and detained. They add that he admitted to being in the Ford Focus at the time of the crash, but said he was in the passenger seat with the seat reclined all the way back.
According to investigators, Noack said he let his friend drive the car, but only knew his friend's first name - Chris.
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Troopers say along with a key to the Ford Focus, Noack also had an Oxycodone pill on him.
Deputies arrested Robert Noack walking near the crash site.
They add that when they found the vehicle, the seat was in an upright position.
Noack, according to investigators, never asked about the victims’ conditions and insisted he was not driving despite a witness saying Noack was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash.
In a sworn statement, the owner of the Ford Focus said, "Rob Noack took my car and went to visit a friend. He finally called and said he crashed my car on Forest Oaks. I called him at 4:30 p.m. when he told me about the accident."
Noack has been charged with DUI, drug possession, leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage and failing to stop at crash involving injury.
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